Help! 75 Gallon Saltwater tank!

[midnightslover]

I am getting a used 75gallon tank and stand off ebay! I currently have a 30gal saltwater tank w/ live rock and an assortment of fish. All the products I bought for my 30 gal. works for a 55-75 gal. system. I bought it like this because I knew I would get a 75 gal. once I was successful with the smaller tank. Now here are my questions.
This 75 gal. comes with a full hood w/ lights and one item I don't have now is a protien skimmer. Will I need to have a glass canopy for such a large tank, and will I now need a protien skimmer as well or can I survive with everything the way it is?
The other thing I wanted to ask is, can I just syphon my water and move my substrate from my 30 gal. to the 75 gal. and not have to wait for it to cycle for a month? I have no room for both tanks to be setup. I only have one spot and the 30 gal. is currently there so I need to move it before I set up the 75 gal. tank plus my fish will need a place to live. My 30 gal. will then be used for a sick tank, or my hubby might confiscate it for his ball python, who knows...
Anyway I just need help on how to approach this huge project I am bringing home. I want to make sure I have everything I need for it before I accidently mess up everything I have worked so hard on. Please please help me! Thanks.

 

[Michel]

Yes you can move everything to the new tank but with caution not to stress the fish too much !
You will ahve to add more LR since you don't have enough and obviously water will have to be added so prepare Rubbermaid container of SW with the same density PH and temperature to add to the new tank and transfer everything !
Your skimmer may be a bit too small but it's worth taking the chance ! You will also need to increase the san bed so by play sand or CC and add it to the existing bed that you have ....
Good luck

 

[midnightslover]

Thanks so much! I actually don't have a protein skimmer at all because I was told I didn't need one for a 30gallon and they tend to be pretty pricey. Alright I will buy more of my substrate and live rock. I have enough buckets and even a small habitat container for the fish to be put into temporarily. LOL My fish don't stress easy thank god, my dwarf lionfish is the biggest wuss out of them all, scary huh? Alright well any suggestions on lighting? I am pretty sure the lights are the standard flourescents you buy with the fixture. I have an acetinic bulb in my 30 gallon, but I dunno if it will fit. Its a double light fixture I have now, I think the other is a double light too. Hmmm, maybe I can pull a wrong size bulb sceme at my petstore since I go to them so much. LOL. Again, thanks!

 

[ellisz]

We just moved our 38 gal to a different wall until we can get the 75 gal ready for the fish we already have. I bought 2 22 gal rubbermaid containers and I have a 6 gallon bucket I normally use for water changes. I just drained the old tank moved it to a new wall and then put the water back in. We are using a new substrate so it might be a bit before we make the big move.

Good luck